The Bush vs. Gore election went to the Supreme Court when there was a controversy in Florida over faulty ballots. The courts sided with George W. Bush, who went on to become the 43rd president of the United States.

On November 5th, the Baltimore Ravens defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 27-7. The Ravens went on to win the rest of the six games in the regular season schedule, all three playoff games, and ultimately defeated the New York Giants 34-7 in Super Bowl XXXV.

Susan Casey was hired in November 2000 to help Devaney & Associates build our in-house media department. Now in 2017, we’re celebrating her record-setting 204th month with the Devaney & Associates family.

Devaney & Associates Becomes an Office Family Under Diane Devaney

Picture this: it’s the year 2000. You are interviewing for a new job at an up-and-coming ad agency. Anxious to impress, and pulling at the hem of the new outfit you’ve had hanging on your closet door for three days, you walk into the office ready to face the gauntlet.

Who greets you? A young woman dressed in all black, wearing a beret, with a painted-on mustache and a set of bongos.

“I was so nervous that I didn’t even realize it was Halloween,” says Susan Casey, media director for Devaney & Associates. “I just remember thinking ‘This is an odd thing for her to wear to work.’ It definitely helped to break the ice.”

Just a few days later, Casey joined Devaney & Associates and began working tirelessly to create what is now a highly respected media department. Today she is the longest-standing employee of the agency.

“I’ve never felt more at home with a company,” says Casey. “Everyone gets along so well and there’s a family vibe throughout the office. I was so touched when the whole company went to my wedding, and then years later everyone went to my mother’s funeral. It’s a special thing to be surrounded by people who care about you, even when you’re at work.”

Shortly after Casey joined Devaney & Associates, art director Michele Poet and account manager Lisa D’Orsaneo came on board and have now been with the company for 16 years. Not far behind is Kolleen Kilduff, senior art director, who has been a Devaney & Associates employee for 13 years. In total, Devaney & Associates employees have over 100 years of experience working together as a team and make up an almost entirely senior-level staff.

“My employees are the very first thing I talk about when I talk to prospective clients or people I meet within the industry,” says Diane Devaney, founder and president of Devaney & Associates. “84% of our team has 10 or more years of experience in their field, so all of our clients get the advantage of working with a very senior staff. But beyond that, having employees who want to stay with me for so long, who become my second family, means more to me than anything. I’m flattered.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median tenure for an employee at a single job varies by age and industry. For those between the ages of 25 and 34, the median tenure is only 3.2 years. For professional and management positions, that number raises to 5.5 years. Having employees for 17 years? 16? 13? Virtually unheard of.

“We’ve been to weddings together, seen families start and grow, and supported each other through hard times,” says Devaney. “We’ve been through a lot together. I think that’s where the magic comes from. We’re able to put out great work because we can work together so seamlessly. We know each other so well, adapt to each other’s work styles, and step up when somebody needs help.”

Having such a deep working history can be a real benefit for clients. Devaney & Associates team members bring more educated perspectives to the table—a knowledge of what has worked and what hasn’t for our clients and clients in similar industries over the years. Years of relationship-building with vendors means we are often able to negotiate cost savings and other opportunities for our clients that other agencies can’t. And projects are typically turned around faster simply because we don’t struggle with the in-fighting and egos that often plague agency cultures.

The biggest benefit? You get welcomed into the family with open arms. You’re not working with a faceless name who refers to you as a job number when you’re not around. You’re working with a friend who will sit down with you over coffee (or a Ravens game) and talk about how to grow your business—and ask you how your son played at his last soccer game. You get a partnership with a team who wants to reach your goals as much, if not more, than you do yourself.

Want to experience what it’s like in the Devaney & Associates family? Our door is always open.

In honor of our 25th anniversary, we are travelling back to an important company milestone each month. Be sure to stay tuned for our final look back on an amazing 25 years in next month’s installment!